Entry requirements

120 credits including (1) 60 credits in biology and 30 credits in chemistry or 30 credits in earth science, or (2) 90 credits in biology.

Learning outcomes

The course focuses on comparative sequence analyses and public databases. On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• identify and choose appropriate public databases to solve a given biological problem
• explain the principles for cost based sequence alignment
• outline the process from sequence data to an annotated genome and explain the different techniques
• that are used
• choose and apply (for the problem area) existing software on given biological problems
• implement simpler algorithms for data handling in Perl
• critically analyse, evaluate and compile received results
• Contents

Content

The course deals mainly with bioinformatics with focus on sequence data (DNA/RNA and protein) and contains the following parts and aspects:

Public bioinformatic databases, their design and search tools. Contig assembly. Identification of coding sequences. Pair-wise and multiple sequence alignment, heuristic methods for sequence alignment. Annotation of genomes.

Bioinformatic software and Linux environment. Automation of bioinformatic analyses using Perl.

Modules: Theory 2 credits; computer exercises 2 credits; projects 1 credit

Instruction

The teaching is given in the form of computer-based net teaching, lectures, computer exercises and project assignment.

Assessment

To pass the course is required that all computer exercises equivalent to 2 credits and project assignment equivalent to 1 credit has been presented in writing and is passed. The theory part is examined by a written examination equivalent to 2 credits.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.